


Basics

by futureimperfect, Miri Cleo (miri_cleo)



Series: Circumstance [17]
Category: Law and Order SVU - Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Cunnilingus, F/F, Femslash, Original Femslash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-29
Updated: 2010-03-29
Packaged: 2017-10-08 12:32:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/75689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/futureimperfect/pseuds/futureimperfect, https://archiveofourown.org/users/miri_cleo/pseuds/Miri%20Cleo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brett has been traveling a while, and she finally finds the reason she ended up in New York.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Outing

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Awakening](https://archiveofourown.org/works/71547) by [futureimperfect](https://archiveofourown.org/users/futureimperfect/pseuds/futureimperfect), [Miri Cleo (miri_cleo)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miri_cleo/pseuds/Miri%20Cleo). 
  * Inspired by [Continuity](https://archiveofourown.org/works/65124) by [futureimperfect](https://archiveofourown.org/users/futureimperfect/pseuds/futureimperfect), [Miri Cleo (miri_cleo)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miri_cleo/pseuds/Miri%20Cleo). 



> A/N: All characters were created by and belong to the authors. Please do not use without permission.

Brett was still rubbing a towel through her hair as she picked up her mobile and started scrolling through the numbers looking for Page's. A shower and a nap made her feel much more like a normal person than she had when she had met her mother and Alex. It only took a second and then she was listening to Page's phone ring. There was no way that she would still be in court, so Brett wasn't worried about that, but she was slightly concerned that she might be interrupting _something_.

Page reached for her phone when she heard it ring, not looking at the name of the caller. She was quite occupied at that moment by a very excited Bailey who was jumping from bed to bed in their hotel room asking questions about dinosaurs, which had been prompted by her promise to take the girl to the Natural History Museum to see the displays for the first time. She held the phone to her ear, turning away to try and hear whoever it was, "Hello?"

"Hey..." Brett smiled just hearing Page's voice. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?" For some reason the noise in the background didn't really register. New York was always noisy.

Page felt her color rise as she realized who was calling. She wouldn't pretend she hadn't been thinking about Brett over the past few weeks but was trying to be reasonable. "Oh, hi, no not at all. I'm just in New York giving some expert testimony, or at least I was. Now I think I'm headed out to see the city a bit." She smiled as Bailey stopped jumping and began a (pretty decent) impersonation of a brontosaurus, stomping in circles on the bed on all-fours.

"New York, huh?" Brett was smirking but only because she knew that Page couldn't see her. "Well, as it turns out, I'm in the City for a bit myself..." She was pulling on pants, having not bothered to get dressed before she called Page.

"Wait...really?" Page was only slightly surprised to feel her stomach flutter slightly. "Why...for how long?"

"For as long as you like. Someone might have told me that you were in the area." She was grinning now and it was audible. "Where are you? I want to see you."

Page didn't quite understand someone being in New York for an undetermined amount of time without living there, but she let it go for the moment. "I...yes I'd like that. I'm at the Sheraton Towers, but I think we're heading out soon to go to the Natural History Museum." She couldn't help herself. "Don't suppose you're up for a visit to the museum?"

"I can do the museum." Really, she didn't care as long as Page was involved. "Bailey's with you?" She couldn't imagine the 'we' being anyone else, and it _would_ explain the odd dinosaur noises in the background. If it was her, she was going to have to start thinking about babysitters.

"Perfect." Page hadn't really envisioned Bailey being there the next time she saw Brett, but that was life for you. Besides, having an adult to talk to while Bailey looked at everything would be nice, and that it was Brett made it even better. She looked at her watch. "Maybe in about an hour?" Page was already reaching for Bailey's coat, preparing to wrestle it onto the excited child.

"I'll, um, see you in an hour then." Brett was still smiling even as she was wondering if her mother had any important plans for the next few days. Surely she could be roped into watching Bailey for at least one night.

It didn't take as long to get to the museum as Page had anticipated, she was quickly finding it hard to estimate distance in New York. She got their tickets and took Bailey inside. She was glad the girl was too excited to notice her mother's nerves. Bailey immediately started attentively looking at the first exhibits, and Page just followed, glancing around to see if Brett was there yet.

Brett caught sight of Page before Page saw her and she just stopped for a moment to stare while she was still unobserved. The little girl in front of her had to be Bailey and Brett took a long, deep breath before she headed over. Once there, she slipped an arm around Page's shoulders. "Did you know that Franz Boas is considered the father of American anthropology?"

Page started at the touch, then turned to smile at Brett, trying to keep from looking too exuberant just yet. "I'd heard that someplace. Interesting title for a physicist." Page glanced toward Bailey, who was still immersed, and then leaned in and kissed Brett on the cheek. "I suppose I should introduce you." Page stepped over and took the girl's hand, turning her to Brett and pointing, "Bailey, this is Brett. I met her when I was in London a few weeks ago. Say hello." She smiled, trying to remain casual.

Brett smiled at Bailey and knelt down to her level, offering her hand in mock seriousness. "It's very nice to meet you Bailey."

Bailey looked over her shoulder at her mother before meeting Brett's introduction in the most formal tone she could manage, extending a small hand, "Hi." Then she smiled, "Do you want to see the dinosaurs too?" She then added, more seriously, "They're very big, but they can't get you because they're not real." Page had to stop herself from laughing at the display, though Bailey was often prone to such comments.

"You know, I'm a pretty big fan of the dinosaurs, but they're all the way up on the 4th floor. I don't know if people as short as you are allowed up there. What do you think?" She hoped Bailey didn't mind being teased.

Bailey put her hands on her hips and looked up at Brett skeptically. "I'm the third from the tallest in my class already." That was as much of an explanation as she felt was necessary, and her mind was already moving on, "and I also wanna see the 'gyptians. They wrote on their walls." Page smiled at that and stepped to take Bailey's hand. "Yes they did, but remember what we talked about? You're not an Egyptian when it comes to your crayons." They started walking again, Bailey darting around, but staying within view. Page smiled. "She's a bit excited today, I think, but she likes you."

Brett watched Bailey run around for a moment before she turned to Page. "I'm glad I didn't upset her with the height thing. I didn't really think about it until after I said it." She smiled sheepishly and reached for Page's hand, hoping that was okay in front of her daughter.

Quietly, Page laced their fingers together, knowing Bailey wouldn't think anything of the gesture. "Oh, don't worry, she doesn't offend easily." They followed from one exhibit to the next, "So really, why are you in the city?"

Brett looked down at their hands and squeezed Page's. "This is actually a little embarrassing," she looked up through her eyelashes, "but I'm here because you are. I, uh, flew out to Seattle and ran into your ex-husband out at your house. He was nice enough not to call the cops and he told me you were here, so here I am." She shrugged.

Page stopped walking, trying to decide if she was flattered or slightly worried at Brett's admission. However, the other woman's expression combined with that familiar attraction she was feeling made her go with flattered. She blushed violently. "You can't be serious. No way." She had never had someone do anything like this before, and didn't really think it happened outside of movies.

Brett shrugged again, acutely aware of just how absurd the whole thing sounded and blushing quiet a bit more than she had in a long time. "Well, I didn't exactly expect it to be quite so complicated. If you had mentioned that you were going to be in New York I would have just skipped the Seattle leg."

Page started laughing, her eyes bright with the absurdity and more than a little excitement, "How was the flight then?"

"Long," Brett couldn't help but laugh back. "Needless to say, my mother was quite surprised to see me at lunch today."

Page just shook her head and guided Bailey into an elevator. She didn't have the heart to make the girl wait much longer to see what she came there for. The other exhibits would probably depend on how quickly Bailey started to fade from her excitement. Page leaned down conspiratorially to Bailey, "How about after this we get to order room service?" The young blond grinned in response, nodding emphatically. Page stood back up, "Join us?" She didn't have the energy to keep up with Bailey at a restaurant that night, and hoped it wouldn't be too strange of an offer for Brett.

"Absolutely." Brett nodded. There were lots of place in New York that she would take Page to given half a chance, but she understood that children changed things. If Page needed a night of room service, then that was fine with her, as long as she got to stay close.

The dinosaurs were, in fact, very big as promised and Bailey spent a good while staring at them, with an expression of awe on her young features. Page couldn't help but smile the whole time, especially when Bailey grabbed Brett's hand to take her to see the dinosaur eggs she had discovered on the other side of the gallery. Page watched them for a moment before following, surprised at how well the afternoon was shaping up.

Brett wasn't used to having such a tiny hand in hers, but she held it carefully and exclaimed over the dinosaur eggs, remembering a similar experience when she was just a bit older than Bailey. Unthinking, she guided Bailey over to another exhibit and lifted her up where she could get a better view.

Page was thoroughly enjoying herself, and by the time they'd seen the rest of the dinosaurs and the "gyptians" and what exhibits Bailey pulled them to in-between, the girl finally started to tire. By the time they were riding back to the hotel, she had fallen asleep in the cab leaning on Brett as she'd insisted on sitting in the middle. It was still early, and Page carried her up to their room and set her down to nap while she ordered room service.

Brett pulled a chair out and sat down not entirely trusting herself to sit on the bed and not get in some kind of trouble. "So, you never told me how long _you_ were planning on staying..."

"Oh only a few days, I've been gone too much from the office lately." Page smiled, taking off her shoes and stretching out on the other bed. "And I assume your plans are still to be determined then?"

"I came to see you." Brett's mouth quirked up. "So..." She shrugged. "I've got nothing pressing in London and my mother is hardly going to kick me out."

"I see." Page was blushing again, but was saved by the arrival of dinner. The smell of chicken nuggets woke Bailey up, and she happily watched cartoons while they ate. Page moved over to the chair opposite Brett at the small table. "I"m glad you showed up."

"I'm glad that you're glad." Brett chuckled. "This would have been really awkward otherwise." She reached over and covered Page's hand with hers and squeezed it. She wanted to do so much more, but Bailey was eating her chicken on the other side of the room, so she restrained herself.

"Sorry we can't have a real night out." Page wasn't sure if that would even be a good idea, but she couldn't help herself from wanting it.

"I don't mind going to museums and eating chicken nuggets." Even if she wasn't the one actually eating the chicken. Brett smiled. "Though, you know, I'm sure I could get my mom to babysit..." she didn't want to push. Clearly, if Page had brought Bailey with her it was because she wanted to spend time with her daughter and she might not appreciate Brett suggesting something that didn't involve Bailey.

"I wouldn't want to impose," It felt strange to be asking so many acquaintances to watch Bailey, but Page wasn't ruling it out. They finished dinner and Bailey had long gone back to watching TV, but her eyes were starting to close now and then. "I hate to say it, but it might be almost bedtime for someone."

"It wouldn't be an imposition." Brett squeezed Page's hand, then looked at Bailey. "Do you want me to go?"

"Mmn...not at all..." Page couldn't quite believe she'd said that out loud and looked away. "But I'm not sure I'm far behind. I'll um...see you out?" Bailey was dozing quietly as the next cartoon started.

"All right." Brett stood and headed to the door. Once there, she turned toward Page. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"

Page followed into the hallway and closed the door most of the way, "I...some, well...no not really. I was thinking of taking Bailey to the park to start, then, not sure." While speaking she turned toward Brett, suddenly self-conscious, smiling at the floor. "Well, goodnight I guess."

"Is there any chance I could invite myself along?" Brett reached out and cupped Page's neck, resting the side of her hand on her shoulder and rubbing it with her thumb.

Page shivered involuntarily, it had been forever since she'd been saying goodnight to someone like this, and she felt 18 again. "I...I'd like that." She leaned in before she could over think it and kissed Brett almost forcefully before pulling back and blushing. At least this time she didn't feel like running away.

Brett was too startled by the kiss to really respond and it left her head spinning. "Give me a call when you get up?" That should give her enough time to get ready and get to wherever Page decided to taking Bailey. "God, I don't want to go." But she knew that she couldn't stall any longer. She leaned in for a second, too brief kiss, before dropping her hand and stepping away.

Page resisted the urge to follow after her, biting her lip, "I....I wish you didn't have to." She said it under her breath, finishing more strongly, "Sure, I will. Sleep well." Page flashed Brett a smile as she opened the door again and went back to get Bailey into bed.

Brett ran her hands through her hair as she stepped into the elevator a few seconds later. She hadn't quite realized just how serious things had become, particularly as their relationship seemed to be based mainly on telephone calls and emails, but now that she was in New York and Page was so very close, she didn't know what she was going to do. That Bailey was now so much more real only complicated matters more. It was all a bit much, and for a split second Brett thought about heading down to the hotel bar and finding someone to go home with. But as soon as she thought it, she dismissed the idea. She hadn't flown halfway around the world for that. She'd done it for Page. And she'd do it again. She sighed as she got into a cab, hoping that her mother wouldn't ask too many inconvenient questions when she came in significantly earlier than usual.


	2. Request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liz is surprised by the nature of Brett's request.

Brett unlocked the front door and tossed her keys onto the table next to Liz's purse. She hadn't wanted to leave Page at her hotel, but with Bailey only a bed away, she couldn't think of a good excuse to stay. She didn't trust herself enough to keep a promise to be good if she and Page actually ended up in a bed together, and she oddly found that she had no desire to go out after she had left the hotel. So she was home, wandering toward the kitchen and her mother, at an unusually early hour. At least, an unusual early hour for her.

At the sound of the keys, Liz looked up and took her reading glasses off. She folded the paper carefully and put it on the kitchen table but resisted the urge to stand. "You're home early," she said dryly.

"Mmhmm." Brett headed toward the fridge and opened it, staring for a long moment before she grabbed an apple. Taking a bite to prevent any other sort of response, she pulled out a chair and sat down. "Do you have any plans tomorrow night?"

Liz bit the inside of her cheek lightly to stop herself, but in the end, she simply couldn't. "What's going on?" It was clear that she was asking about something deeper than which club Brett might or might not have been going to and just what she needed from Liz in order to make something happen. That Brett showed up in New York unannounced was something one might easily overlook, but that she was coming home early was something entirely different.

"I, um..." Brett shrugged. The whole thing with Page was still hard for her to explain to herself, let alone to her mother, but she knew if she didn't come up with something, then the questions wouldn't stop. "I need a babysitter and I was just wondering if you would busy." She tried to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal.

Brett studiously looked at her apple, as if her next bite might determine the fate of the universe. "Yeah. I need a babysitter." She knew she was being difficult, but it was instinctive.

Liz ran through the possibilities. There was no way Brett had gotten pregnant and had a child and failed to tell her or anyone else about it. In fact, even if that had happened, it was absolutely ridiculous to think Brett wouldn't have called her in a panic the moment she found out. And that was absolutely the least wild and fanciful explanation she could come up with. Still, upon seeing Brett's expression and her intent gaze towards the apple, Liz couldn't help but soften. She went back to the table and sat. "I thought you got past the age of needing someone to watch you for the night a while ago. But if this is your way of saying you want to spend time with me..."

Brett laughed and looked up, finally relaxing a bit. "The woman I came to see, she, uh, has a four year old daughter, and I didn't think leaving her alone in a hotel room while I took her mother on a date was the best plan." Brett knew that she was blushing and she rubbed her cheeks.

At that, Liz didn't bother to hide her surprise. She really couldn't have if she tried. "I think I can manage a four year old for a few hours," she said finally. Brett didn't chase women around the world, and certainly didn't look twice at women with children. Even that was too settled for her. "Who is she?"

"Her name's Page and she does something very technical that involves touch screens and she lives out of Seattle." Brett tossed her apple core in the direction of the trashcan, sighing as she missed and had to get up. It was a fairly straightforward answer, but it really didn't scratch the surface.

Liz simply watched her as she tried figure out just what was behind this. She could tell, however, that Brett was trying to work it out as well. "That's it. Her name is Page...she has a child...and you followed her to New York?"

Brett ran a hand through her hair as she sat back down. "Actually, I followed her to Seattle. She just wasn't home. Then I followed her to New York. And her daughter's name is Bailey."

"Are you sure you're all right?" Liz was furrowing her brow and reaching for Brett's to see if she was positively feverish.

"I'm fine. Would you stop that?" Brett leaned away and slapped at her mother's hands. "We met on a flight from Prague to London, and I showed her around a little. Don't look at me like that. Nothing happened. And I just..." She shrugged. The more she talked, the more insane it sounded.

The actions were certainly of the Brett she knew and had partially raised, but the words were completely alien to any ideal--if Brett held any aside from those applied to her art--espoused by her daughter before. She couldn't deny that she had hoped to hear something like this, but hope and reality, Liz knew, sometimes never intersected. "My God, you've met someone that holds your interest past two drinks and twisted sheets."

"Mother!" Brett's outrage covered her embarrassment at just how right Liz was. There were times when she could just be too frank. "There haven't been any twisted sheets," she mumbled.

"You know, I didn't really need to know that," Liz said as she leaned back in her chair. She didn't, but knowing it made her all the more incredulous. She regarded Brett for a moment, her face impassive and her eyes probing. Had something happened that she didn't know about? She would have to ask Jonas.

"Sorry." Brett ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "I just feel like I'm going crazy. There have been drinks and a lunch and emails and phone calls and a day at the natural history museum looking at the dinosaurs and room service and I don't have any idea what I'm doing." She put her head down on her arms and started at the table top.

"Oh, Brett." Liz shook her head but held back her laugh as she leaned forward again to run her fingers through Brett's hair. Her daughter frequently had no idea what she was doing, and that was part of her unique charm. It was when that fact began to worry Brett that it became troublesome. "I'll watch Bailey tomorrow night, so that's one thing you don't have to worry about. And the rest...well, you seem to be off to a good start."

"If you say so." Brett still sounded miserable, though her mother's touch was comforting.

"When you were five..." Liz stood and rounded Brett's chair to begin kneading her shoulders, "you declared that you thought boys were 'icky and ungrateful' because they got to wear all of the comfortable clothes and play with the best toys. You promptly told your father and me that you would would wears a suit like your father's when you married a girl in a pretty dress." She chuckled at the memory and bent to kiss Brett's head. "I don't know if you'll ever find your girl in a pretty dress, Brett, but you've always done things how you liked them with no regrets. So, there's no use fretting over this. If you care about her, you'll work it out." And then Liz would promptly die of absolute surprise.

Brett sighed and leaned back into Liz's hands. "It was Hilda. The girl in the pretty dress when I was five…it was always Hilda, when I let myself think about it." She rested her head back against Liz's stomach. "At least until she got married. What if I'm just doing it again? Just... setting myself up for disappointment?" It was something that had been nagging at her since she got on the flight to Seattle, but not something she had wanted to make more concrete by talking about it.

"I think this is different," Liz replied. It was not the most soothing thing she could have said, but Brett's feelings for Hilda were unhealthy, just as any relationship with Hilda, had it ever happened, would have been. Liz kept those thoughts to herself as she patted Brett's shoulders. "And what if you're not. You've never been one to shy away from taking chances."

Brett nodded. "Yeah..." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. She knew Liz was most likely just telling her what she wanted to hear, but she tried not to think about that. "I'm so tired. Do you have any idea how long it takes to fly from London to Seattle to New York?"

"Go to bed." Liz kissed Brett's head again, and there was a note of finality in her voice. She needed to get to bed herself, and she needed to think about this. "Just let me know tomorrow when you need me to be home."

Brett nodded. "I will. Thanks." She stood and impulsively pulled her mother into a hug.

Liz hugged Brett back tightly and rubbed her lower back out of habit. She smiled as she pulled away. "It's good to have you here."

"Yeah. It's good to be here." Brett smiled and turned toward the stairs. She needed a good nights sleep probably more than she needed anything else. She would feel better in the morning.


	3. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liz makes good on her promise to Brett.

Between the park and the zoo, Brett wasn't sure how Bailey could have any energy left, yet somehow when Page opened her hotel room door, Brett almost fell over as Bailey launched herself at her legs. Brett assumed she was imitating a lion or something, and she just leaned in and kissed Page's cheek. "Ready to go?" She was almost bouncing herself, so maybe she did understand where Bailey got the energy. "You look lovely, by the way."

Bailey hung there for a moment, making the fiercest growling sounds she could muster. Then she just simply nuzzled Brett's legs before looking up at her mother in awe. She looked so pretty. Bailey hoped she would be that pretty one day. She wanted her hair to be just like her mother's.

Page blushed and looked down at the chinos and shirt she'd been hoping weren't too wrinkled from being in her suitcase and pushed her hair back out of her face. "I....thank you...so do you." She looked down and tried to pull Bailey back somehow, "Sorry....and you're really sure she doesn't mind playing with Bailey for a few hours?"

"Stop worrying about it." Brett reached down and lifted Bailey up into her arms, as Page didn't seem to be having any luck. "She doesn't mind." Smiling, Bailey put her head on Brett's shoulder. She liked Brett...a lot. Brett was fun and funny and made her mommy smile.

A few minutes later Brett stopped the car near the middle of a row of brownstones on a tree-lined street. Page took Bailey's hand and followed Brett up the iron-railed steps to the front door. She couldn't figure out why she was suddenly nervous, and trying to remember to smile.

Brett unlocked the front door and headed inside. "Mom?" She knew Liz was there somewhere, but it was often easier to get Liz to come to her than to find her.

Liz took off her apron after wiping her hands on it. The smell of cookies filled the brownstone, and she couldn't help but smile as she saw the little girl. She couldn't deny that she was absolutely stunned by Brett's request, but she could hardly say no. "I'm in the kitchen," she said as she walked out of it.

Bailey squeezed Page's hand at the permeating smell filling the house, and Page gave her a "mind your manners" look. Last think she needed was Bailey storming the kitchen before dinner.

"It's just this way." Brett led them toward the kitchen but met her mother before she got there. She smiled nervously at her mother, hoping that she wouldn't make a big deal out of anything. "Um, mom, this is Page and her daughter Bailey." She smiled at Page. "And, um, this is my mom." The introduction seemed very forced to her, but it was too late now.

Liz smiled and offered her hand to Page. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she said before kneeling to Bailey. "Well, Bailey, I'm Liz. And I certainly hope you like chocolate chip cookies." She offered her hand to the little girl, noting that she strongly resembled her mother.

Bailey looked at her mother then back at Liz nodding. "I like chocolate."

Page smiled, now more relaxed as the woman looked genuinely happy to watch Bailey, and Bailey wasn't thinking of much other than cookies. The little blonde looked contemplative for a moment, making some connections in her mind and considering Liz, "But...she doesn't look like Gammy." To the girl it followed that Brett and her mommy were the same, and so their mommies should be too. Page blushed again, brighter this time, looking sheepishly at Liz briefly, "No, she doesn't does she." There wasn't much else to say, and she hoped Liz would recognize the comment.

Liz chuckled lightly. "Well," she said, holding her hand out to Bailey, "maybe I don't, but we might have just as much fun." It was nice to see Brett with someone like Page, and despite the surprise, Liz couldn't say she wasn't happy. If watching Bailey was the price of Brett growing up, she would gladly pay it. "Why don't we check the cookies and let mommy and Brett get to dinner, hmm?"

"Thanks again, Mom." Brett tried to resist sighing in relief as she smiled, happy that everything seemed to be going as planned.

"Yes thank you, here's my number if you need anything," Page held out a bit of paper she had scribbled her cell on. She smiled quietly and found herself taking Brett's hand without really thinking about it.

Liz smiled at the two. She was curious, but she could keep that to herself for a while. She knew how precocious four year olds could be, and cookies would only do it for so long. She took the paper and put it in her pocket. "Have a good time."

"We will." Brett squeezed Page's hand as she turned toward door. "We'll, um, be back in a couple of hours and then you can have your car back." She hoped her mom didn't take that too literally though.


	4. Basics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brett and Page finally find themselves alone.

Most of the time, Brett didn't really care for New York. It was a decent enough city but it wasn't London, and unless she had some type of showing, or was visiting her mother, she tended to avoid it. She had been a teenager the last time that she could remember really enjoying the city, and that night, as she opened Page's car door for her, she felt like a teenager again. Having to borrow her mother's car was only the least of the reasons why. She was nervous and anxious but that only served to heighten her excitement. She started the car, then turned to Page, "So, dinner then?"

Page smiled, it felt so different just being with Brett and she tried to think of the last time a night out had felt so much like a "date." The other woman's confidence and hint of British accent in her speech made her just that much more excited. She nodded, "That sounds perfect." Really, Page didn't care about much more than the company.

There were a literally hundreds of places in the city that Brett could take Page, and she was certain that she had gone through half of them in her mind during the day as they had followed Bailey first through the park, and then through the zoo. But rather than making it overly complicated, Brett picked someplace close by. She knew that she didn't really have all night, and she didn't want to spend what time she did have driving. She shifted gears, then decided that there was some advantage to letting the car use its automatic transmission as she reached over to take Page's hand. "There's this little place not too far away. I think it's supposed to be some kind of fusion of Italian and Asian, but really, they have a little bit of everything." Brett liked eating, and she always knew where the trendiest places were, but food trends weren't really something she kept up with.

Page tried to think of what a fusion of those particular cuisines might result in, and settled on noodles of some kind, which sounded pretty good to her. "Sounds interesting...Good interesting I mean." She played with Brett's fingers through hers, "She really didn't mind taking Bailey for the evening?" Bailey had seemed comfortable with Liz, excited even, and the woman seemed amused but Page wanted to make sure.

"She really didn't." Brett lifted Page's hand and kissed the back of it. She wasn't going to share with Page just how very embarrassing the conversation that followed her initial request had been, but it hadn't been because Liz was unwilling. She had simply been confused, and Brett couldn't really blame her for that. Page wasn't exactly her type, as her type tended to be anyone who wouldn't be around in a few days. "I'm sure they're going to have a good time." Brett parked the car and subsequently had to let go of Page's hand.

"If Bailey doesn't take over the house too much." Page laughed slightly as they walked into the restaurant. They were shown to a corner table, and the blond glanced over the menus, noting they really did have everything, and she noted with amusement that each option had a suggested sake and wine pairing. She smiled over at Brett, "Do you have any recommendations?"

"I used to take over that house every summer. She's used to it. And at least Bailey won't try to rearrange the furniture or use the walls as a canvass and try to call it a 'statement about bourgeois sensibility and the insidiousness of the Victorian ideal'." Brett chuckled as she scanned the menu as well. "An if I remember correctly, all of the fish is really good."

Page's face lit with a grin, "You never know, Bailey's really into watercolors lately." She turned a page of the menu to the seafood list. "The Ahi looks good." She took a few more glances, then set the menu down, deciding Brett was far more interesting, "I still can't believe you're here. I mean, to see me, it's crazy, but I'm glad."

Brett blushed. "I just... I reread your last email and I wanted to see you." She looked down at her plate and fidgeted with her knife. It really was insane and she kept waiting for Page to tell her that she was too crazy for her and her daughter and that she should just go back to London. Their server appearing and taking their orders spared her from her thoughts.

They ordered and Page leaned forward in her chair, lacing her fingers together in front of her, smiling a bit mischievously, "I'll have to re-read the email then."

"Oh?" Brett was still fidgeting with her knife, but she wasn't staring at her plate anymore.

Page blushed, "Well if something I wrote was good enough to make girls fly around the world to see me, it's probably worth saving."

"Oh, right." Brett bit her lip, debating whether or not she actually wanted an answer to her next question. "You don't think it's too crazy, do you? I mean, you're not just humoring me?"

Page laughed and blushed. "I was going to ask you the same thing." She still couldn't quiet believe the turn of events, but Brett's candor was an unexpected bonus, and she moved her toe to slide up the other woman's shin under the table without even really thinking about it.

With that question out of the way, Brett was able to relax, and the toe on her shin made he shiver. "No. I, um, I'm definitely not humoring you." Her voice was suddenly thick and the sip of wine she took to clear it didn't really help. There was a part of her that wished that they could skip dinner altogether and just go back to Page's hotel.

Biting her lip, Page leaned back when the waiter brought their food. It looked good, and smelled even better, but she wasn't really focusing on it. Page wasn't entirely sure she knew what she wanted from the rest of the night, or moreover, what what was possible.

Brett tried to concentrate on how everything tasted, attempting to distract herself from thinking about what might come after dinner ended, but it wasn't working. She was eating too fast. It had been almost two months since they had last seen each other and Brett was never really known for her patience. She searched for something to say though she really didn't feel like talking anymore. "Is your tuna good?"

"Very. Try some?" Page didn't wait for an answer before holding a bite up to Brett's lips, the action seeming surprisingly natural.

Brett opened her mouth without thinking and nodded. "Yeah, that's... mmm." It wasn't particularly eloquent, but she was beyond trying for that. "I might have to get that next time."

Page spent the next while quizzing Brett on aspects of London, mentally planning a trip back to see more of the city...or something. By the time the waiter returned to clear their plates, and their wine glasses had run low, she was feeling more relaxed. "Would you like to see the dessert menu?" The waiter looked at the two women, "No..." Page glanced across the table, "no I don't think tonight thank you." She smiled at Brett.

Brett smiled back at Page, incredibly glad that she wasn't going to have to sit through dessert as well. When the waiter returned with the check, Brett quickly slipped her credit card in and handed it back to him. "So... what would you like to do with the rest of our night?"

Page shrugged and smiled again, "Well I don't think I'm in the mood to go out to a club exactly." She hoped Brett got her meaning, as much as she told herself that she was an adult and could choose to invite Brett to her hotel, that it was perfectly normal, she couldn't quite ask so explicitly.

"Right." Brett nodded, fully understanding Page's meaning and trying to find a way to suggest that they just go back to the hotel without being blatant about it. She still hadn't come up with one when the waiter returned her card and she stood to offer Page her hand. Silence fell between them as they walked to the car, and once they were there, Brett stopped Page before she could open her door, tugging her back around as she refused to let go of her hand. She put her free hand on Page's waist and stepped closer, leaning in for a light kiss. ""I've been wanting to do that all night."

"Mmmn..." Page had closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss. When their lips parted she opened them again, smiling broadly, "Yeah, take me to the hotel." She was finally past worrying about how it sounded, Page was pretty sure they were thinking the same thing.

"Yeah. Working on it." Brett swallowed around the lump in her throat and nodded, finally stepping away and opening Page's car door for her. The tension in the car was almost too thick to breath, let alone talk, so Brett just drove, getting them to the hotel as quickly as she could. Once there she just left the keys in the car for the valet, barely waiting long enough to collect the ticket before she followed Page inside.

Page hit the call button for the elevator before digging in a coat pocket for her key card. She could hear her pulse getting louder, and just focused on not doing anything entirely stupid. When the elevator arrived she was almost annoyed to find another couple already inside, and stood nervously a few inches from Brett on the ride up to her floor.

Brett was equally annoyed by the other couple, but she did her best to ignore them, and her desire to wrap her arms around Page despite their presence, until the elevator stopped and she and Page got out. With a clear hallway a head of her, Brett pulled Page close and kissed her. She knew it was a bad idea, but she couldn't make herself wait any longer and the room was just too far away.

Page moaned and wrapped an arm around Brett's neck, walking slowly backward toward the room as they kissed. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so wanted, or wanted someone else so badly. Finally she pulled away long enough to open the door, which with her shaking hands, took several tries.

Brett was breathing heavily as she watched Page try to get the door open, and already trying to slide her hands under Page's shirt. Once she did get it open, Brett practically pushed Page into the room, stumbling over the threshold herself in the process. She took the liberty of throwing the deadbolt, then she turned back to Page.

Page stepped back into the room, turning on one of the lights as she did so. She knew the moment of backing out was long gone, and she didn't care at all. The blond watched Brett follow her, and raised her fingers to start unbuttoning her own shirt as she neared the bed.

Brett watched Page's fingers working, almost stalking toward her. As soon as she reached the blonde, her hands went automatically to Page's pants, using the waistband to pull her closer before she started unfastening them. "Are you sure about this?" She didn't know what she would do if Page stopped her, but it would be infinitely easier now than it would be in a few minutes.

Speaking wasn't very easy for Page at that moment, but she managed a breathless, "Yes," before pressing against Brett, kissing her and reaching to tangle her fingers through the other woman's dark hair.

"Oh good." It was little more than a whisper and all she could get out before Page used her hair to pull her in for another kiss. Brett reached for Page's unbuttoned shirt and started trying to pull it off without actually making Page let go of her. It didn't quite work, but she eventually tossed the shirt aside and started pulling off her own between frantic kisses. "God, you make me crazy."

"I take ...it...that's a good...thing...mmmn.." Page managed a smile as she finished the sentence, nearly falling back onto the bed, pulling Brett with her. She couldn't wait and inelegantly wriggled out of her pants, reaching for Brett's the moment she did so.

"Very good." Brett kicked off her pants. They were practically sideways on the bed, but Brett was too interested in Page to care and it made dragging off Page's panties as she slid to her knees that much easier. If Page was half as ready as she was, then Brett didn't think she would mind if they got back to the preliminaries later. She ran her hands up Page's thighs, spreading them just enough before she leaned in and pressed her tongue between Page's lips.

"Ohh…" Page arched back up off the bed, fingers immediately tangling in Brett's hair again as she pressed forward, legs shaking slightly at the sure touch.

Brett kept licking, running her tongue over and between Page's lips, pushing it inside of her to taste her before returning to her clit. Page's hands in her hair only served to spur her on. She pushed two of her fingers inside of Page, curling them, and she wrapped her other arm around Page's hip, keeping her close. Page shuddered and moaned deeply, the long anticipation and Brett's intent pushed her over quickly, and she sprawled back down onto the bed, dragging the brunette up with her as best she could, wanting to keep their contact as long as she could.

Then Brett crawled up onto the bed and stayed close to Page, kissing her lightly as she came down. She finally had her arms around Page long enough to unfasten her bra, and she pulled it off while Page was still partially limp in her arms. "Absolutely crazy," she said as she sighed in temporary contentment.

Page only slightly registered the last garment being removed, and turned toward Brett, smiling against her shoulder. "Sorry about that," She chuckled quietly as her fingers started to trail over Brett's skin.

Brett shivered and wrapped her arms around Page. "God, don't apologize. Please don't apologize." She cupped Page's face in her hands and kissed her gently. "I have been waiting so long for that, and I am not good at waiting."

Page had recovered enough to laugh at that as she pushed Brett onto her back and moved over her. "Really? I never could have guessed." The blond was still smiling as she set about removing the rest of Brett's clothing, tossing them onto the floor. She leaned down to kiss her again, "Suppose I should show my gratitude for you making an exception then."

"Page," Brett moaned her name and reached for her. "Don't tease. I don't think I'd survive it." She was already hot and throbbing and it was taking all of her willpower not hurry Page along or simply give her a hand. Page had no intention of teasing, not too much anyway, and she smiled for a moment longer before dipping her head to kiss Brett's neck, slowly sliding down the brunette's body, laying kisses as she went.

Even that was too much for Brett as she arched and squirmed under Page's kisses. "Please..." She grabbed at the covers and tried to let Page do as she wanted, but it incredibly difficult and only getting harder. Page dropped her hand between Brett's legs, feeling how wet the brunette was already. She moaned and slid two fingers into her, licking and kissing steadily down Brett's stomach. She couldn't get enough of tasting her skin, or feeling her squirm.

"Fuck." Brett's eyes rolled back as she closed them and pressed down onto Page's fingers wanting more, needing more. She grabbed for anything she could reach and ended up wrapping a hand around one of Page's shoulders, just holding onto her, trying to find some sort of stability. Page took that as encouragement and brushed her thumb over Brett's clit in a few circles before finally slipping lower and replacing it with her tongue, keeping her fingers inside.

Brett moaned loudly, not caring if anyone could hear her. She was already so close that Page's touch was almost painful and she pressed into it even as she was pulling away. Sex had rarely been this overwhelming before. She was biting her lip and tears were leaking from her eyes because she had the closed so tightly. As much as she wanted it to last forever, it wasn't going to take much to push her over the edge. Page moaned against Brett even as she continued to lick her, closing her eyes and listening, feeling the other woman. As much as she didn't want the moment to end, she even more desperately needed to feel Brett come under her.

It only took Brett another second before she started shuddering. She twisted the comforter in her hand and let out a sound that might have indicated extreme pleasure or pain. She was still a moment later, trying to catch her breath.

Page's head swam feeling, listening to Brett's climax, and it took her several long moments before she managed to slip back up the other woman's body, kissing occasionally. She pressed herself along the brunette's side, arms wrapping around, settling as close as she could.

Brett pulled Page half on top of her. "That... that was worth the wait." She nuzzled against Page's neck, slowly coming back to herself.

Page grinned, now completely relaxed and brushed her fingers over Brett's shoulders and chest thoughtfully. "Well I'm glad to hear that for sure." She lay across the brunette, not ready for the moment to end just yet.

"Mmm." Brett kissed the top of Page's head and her forehead and kept placing light kisses down the side of her face until she got to her lips. "How long until we have to go back and get Bailey?"

They had made it an early dinner, and not lingered over it at that, so it wasn't the time they'd told Liz they'd be back yet. Page glanced at the clock, "I'd say we have about an hour," Her eyes were bright as she flashed Brett a smirk, "That is, if you can drive fast."

"I can drive fast." And she was sure that she remembered some shortcuts. Brett smirked at Page and rolled them over where she was on top of her again. She started kissing Page's neck, more light quick kisses like the ones she had left on her face.

"Good," Page smiled and squirmed happily under Brett, her hands running over the other woman's back. Something about the night seemed both so natural and so unexpected that she didn't know what to think about it, but she was trying her hardest not to analyse just yet.

Brett straddled Page, simply resting there for a moment, looking down at her. She couldn't stop herself from thinking about what was happening, what it all meant. It was much more introspective than she was used to being. "You are so confusing." She meant it as a compliment.

Page rested her hands on Brett's legs and looked up at her with an expression eerily similar to the one Brett had received upon telling the Bailey she was too short to see the dinosaurs the day before. "How so?" Page considered herself frighteningly simple really, and tried to read Brett's demeanor.

"I just..." She shook her head and leaned down for a kiss. "I don't normally get attached to people." She looked away as she said it, as if it might damn her somehow in Page's estimation.

Page couldn't keep herself from closing her fingers on Brett's thighs, trying to read just exactly what she meant by "attached." Page knew she was exactly the type of person who was prone to attachment from the outset, and so was always on guard not to let it happen to easily. Her breath caught for a moment as the silence hung. Page knew she had to say something to the admission, but the improbability of a positive outcome given their lives, their homes, seemed so slim. "I...I see..." She had no idea what to say, and reached up to pull Brett to her instead.

Brett kissed Page almost desperately, needing the reassurance. But she couldn't just leave it alone. "I've never been in a relationship that's lasted longer than a week. I don't have any idea what I'm doing." She just thought that Page needed to know what she was getting into.

Though Brett couldn't see it, Page's expression changed to slight surprise as the brunette's self-assured manner melted away. Somehow, though it made Page more comfortable with her own thoughts in the moment, and she just slid her fingers through Brett's hair in what she hoped was a calming manner, "Well...I...I've never had someone track me down in New York and willingly spend two days sightseeing with me and my kid before, so I think we're both in new territory then." Still, the word 'relationship' wasn't lost on Page, and she tried to work it out in her mind.

Brett relaxed under Page's touch, trying to push her thoughts away again. They didn't have much time and she wanted to make the best of it. "Right. Well, I like your kid. And I guess you're not too bad either," she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Page smiled and couldn't help nipping at Brett's ear, "I hope so." The topic seemed to have passed for the moment, but the mood lingered.

Brett chuckled, pulling away from Page's teeth. She trailed her fingers over Page's stomach and ribs, just enjoying the feeling of the other woman's skin under her fingertips.

As she glanced at the bedside clock, Page sighed, then groaned. "I don't think I've ever wanted another hour quite so badly in my life."

"I'm sure my mother won't mind if we're a little bit late." She finally started touching Page's breasts, lightly brushing her fingers over Page's nipples.

Page moaned and closed her eyes, feeling her nipples harden almost immediately. "Ok..." She managed a small smirk, "But you get to give her an explanation." Her hands were already sliding up Brett's sides in response.

Brett was fairly sure that her mother was going to be surprised if they showed up at all that night, so she wasn't worried about any explanations. Brett leaned down for another kiss before she slid down to start sucking on one of Page's nipples.

Page arched up into the touch, moving quietly but intently under Brett. She was already wanting again just from the proximity and the casual touches, and though it was getting close to Bailey's bedtime, Page had little resolve to insist on much.

Brett shifted to push one of her thighs between Page's moaning at how wet she still was. "I want to see you come again," she said as she leaned in for another kiss. "I want to feel you."

Page felt herself quicken immediately, pressing down on Brett's skin. She reached out and pulled the other woman as close as she could, "Oh....mmmnn...kiss me...please..." she whimpered slightly.

Moving instantly at Page's words, Brett kissed Page and squirmed closer. "Come on." She started kissing Page's jaw and neck, nipping at her collarbone. She slid a hand between them and started touching Page's clit. "Let me see you."

Page's breath caught when Brett's fingers touched her. She couldn't remember being with someone so intent on her before, and she looked up at the brunette, feeling her body shudder when their eyes met.

Brett smiled, still on top of Page and pressing down against her. She didn't want the night to end, but she knew she wasn't going to get that wish. "That's it."

Still trembling slightly, Page pulled Brett down against her, bringing their bodies in contact fully. Brett felt so warm on top of her and she loved how they fit together so perfectly. "God....you're so....mmmnn..." Page was quite beyond sentences and hoped Brett didn't mind.

"So are you, love. So are you." She held Page tightly, refusing to let go. She didn't need to know exactly what Page was saying to know she felt the same way.

The blonde allowed herself to relax for a moment, just feeling Brett's weight pressing her down onto the bed. "I....I don't want to say it...but....." Page kissed Brett's cheek as if it would make it easier.

Brett groaned as she rolled to the side, knowing what Page was thinking. "Right." She took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair before she sat up and got out of the bed.

Page sighed audibly as Brett moved away, the air in the room feeling colder without her touch. "I.....my flight's tomorrow morning." She wished she hadn't said it, but it was the truth and they both knew what they were doing. The blond tried to push the thoughts away, dreading saying goodbye.

"God, of course it is." Brett ran her fingers through her hair again. "Our timing is terrible." She started looking for her clothing, trying not to let Page know just how disappointed she was.

Page leaned off the edge of the bed and retrieved her panties and bra, starting to get dressed, "It really is. I'm not even due to travel again for months, the project I've been working on is finishing development at our home office, and Bailey's starting kindergarten soon..." She trailed off, meeting Brett's eyes for a minute before looking away and pulling her shirt back on, "And London is quite far from Seattle."

There was a lump in Brett's throat once again, though for a very different reason this time. She pulled her pants on as she nodded. "Yeah." It figured that as soon as she found someone that she wanted to spend more than a night with, a night was all she had. "You know, I don't really have any reason to rush back to London..." She didn't know how Page would feel about the idea. It might be too much too soon. She could be screwing everything up just by suggesting it.

There was a lump in Brett's throat once again, though for a very different reason this time. She pulled her pants on as she nodded. "Yeah." It figured that as soon as she found someone that she wanted to spend more than a night with, a night was all she had. "You know, I don't really have any reason to rush back to London..." She didn't know how Page would feel about the idea. It might be too much too soon. She could be screwing everything up just by suggesting it.

Page paused, sitting on the edge of the bed, considering. The idea seemed so foreign, but then again this whole experience wasn't something she could have predicted, and as strange as it was, the idea of saying goodbye to Brett without having the chance to see where things ended up was too painful. "Well, I..." She blushed, "I'd really like that, I mean...if you don't think it's too strange to fly back to Seattle again." Page took a breath after she said it, there was noting really wrong with the idea, it wasn't anything permanent, and Bailey liked her, and god knows she did.

Brett couldn't stifle her smile. "I, um, I don't know if I can get on a flight tomorrow, but if not there's always the next day." Having expected Page to say no, Brett didn't really have a plan beyond getting on the next flight to Seattle that she could.

Page stood and went to wrap her arms around Brett, leaning in for a kiss, "I'll be there this time." She still wasn't totally convinced of what was happening to her, but wasn't one to tempt fate.

"Oh good." Brett leaned in for another kiss, but ended up pulling away. There was every chance that if she started again, she wouldn't be able to stop. "I don't think your ex would be quite so friendly if I showed up uninvited a second time."

At that, Page laughed outright. She could just imagine the thinly controlled curiosity that must be plaguing Andrew after meeting Brett so unexpectedly. "He'd get over it I'm sure, he's dealt with more already." She started to reluctantly move toward the door, "shall we then?"

"I guess so, yes." Brett pulled her hair back, knowing that there was no way that she could make it look like they had been doing anything other than what they were. Brett followed her out and a few minutes later they were back in the car and headed toward Liz's.

They rode mostly in silence, each thinking of what the next days...weeks…might bring. It had gotten late and Page was feeling slightly guilty for leaving Bailey so long. She paused as they reached the doorstep, leaning in to kiss Brett one more time before the brunette unlocked the door.

Most of the lights in the house were off, with just a trail left to the living room. Brett squeezed Page's hand as she led her further inside. Page hadn't made it this far when she dropped Bailey off, but Brett wasn't a teenager any more and she no longer worried about what people thought of her mother's taste. She opened the screen and stepped into the living room to find her mother sitting on the couch reading, a tiny head resting on her lap. Liz looked up at her over her reading glasses, hiding her surprise that Brett and Page had turned back up. Bailey only shifted in her sleep, curling up into a tiny ball.

Page smiled at how content Bailey looked, secretly glad she wasn't running around the house still. "Thank you" she mouthed silently as she stepped quietly over to retrieve the sleeping child.

"It wasn't a problem," Liz said softly as she brushed some of Bailey's hair back. "She fell asleep about half an hour ago. You know, I have an extra room. You're both welcome to stay here."

Page glanced at Brett, who only shrugged. Liz seemed sincere, and Bailey might not even wake up if she didn't have to haul her in and out of a cab. She nodded, blushing slightly, "Thank you."

"I'm sure Brett can show you up." Liz tried not to speculate about just how long Page would stay in the extra bed before she ended up in Brett's.

"Um yeah, absolutely."

And in that moment, Brett was sure that she had never loved her mother more.


End file.
